I was in the shower a few minutes ago and not really in the mood to sing :) As random thoughts drifted in and out I suddenly remembered something from when I was a young boy. And all of sudden I had the perfect opening sentence for my Stanford 'what matters most' essay. By the time I stepped out, almost the entire first paragraph was set. Rushed back to my computer and wrote them down. Now that I've started, I'm going to finish that essay today. I'm also aiming to work on the second Stanford essay tonight. When I first looked at Stanford's essays the 'what matters most' one seemed the most daunting. But I've come to regard it as probably the best essay topic of any application. And I believe the latitude it offers precludes any attempt at tailoring it towards what the AdComm expects to hear. So, the next best thing is to forget about who's going to read it and write your heart out. Derrick Bolton wasn't kidding when he says he wants to see thoughtful introspection shine through an applicant's essays. There is no other way to answer this essay.

Off-topic : Isn't it great to go to a neighborhood restaurant or cafe where the people know you, at least by face. I went to take-out some dinner at House of Siam last night and not only was I met by smiling faces and small talk but also offerred some hot tea while I waited. And the good people at Claremont Cafe across the street keep my coffee cup full during my weekend brunch-and-essay-writing sessions there ;-)

Some more Off-topic rambling : There's an interesting thread on grade non-disclosure on BW forums. I hadn't really considered this as a factor until now but now that I think about it, it could be a non-trivial issue. Indian schools are notoriously grade-obsessed and I knew more than a few classmates of mine who were so focussed on being top of the class that it definitely affected the class dynamics. When I came to grad school in the US, I felt so free. Grades didn't really matter that much, and my entire school experience was better for it. The level of camaraderie was high, and I took courses and projects that I probably wouldn't have touched if getting a good grade was paramount. I would definitely prefer a grade non-disclosure policy in b-school too.